When Beowulf slew Grendel or rode out against the dragon he did so as a hero facing monsters who were clearly distinct from himself as obstacles to be overcome for his glory. Beginning with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, we see monsters such as Victor's creature, vampires and zombies, not as obstacles but as the central occupants of our stories, as the focus of our interest, fear, and sometimes envy, and as reflections of society and ourselves. After all, why do zombies flock to the mall? Intended to introduce students to the connections between various fields of studies in the humanities, this section of HUMA 1301 will apply an interdisciplinary approach to viewpoints concerning monsters and monstrosity. This semester the course theme will be discussed by examining the rich dialogue between myth, verse, fiction, film, and pop culture. Now featuring an even larger zombie horde!

Selected zombie fiction will be available via e-reserve. Films, such as Frankenstein (1931), The Wolf Man (1941), and Night of the Living Dead, and selections from other films such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Blade Runner, and Bram Stoker's Dracula will be incorporated in the course; in addition, the course will consider excerpts from such television shows as The Walking Dead. The course will utlitize eLearning and students are encouraged to submit video, articles, short stories, or other works related to the course theme.